Toilet Configured to Distinguish Excreta Type

ABSTRACT

A system for distinguishing a type of excreta deposited in a toilet is disclosed. The system includes a toilet and a processor. The toilet has a bowl adapted to receive multiple types of excreta from a user and a sensor which monitors the volume of excreta deposited in the toilet. The processor compares excreta volume data derived from the sensor to a database comprising excreta-type volume data and associates a time segment from the excreta volume data as representing an excreta-type. This system can provide data which may be used to determine the rate of excreta deposit into the toilet and associated those rates with excreta events types such as urination or defecation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/862,399 titled “Toilet for Measuring Volume and Rate with aPressure Sensor” filed on 17 Jun. 2019; 62/862,542 titled “ToiletConfigured to Distinguish Excreta Type and Determine Volume” filed on 17Jun. 2019; 62/862,618 titled “Toilet with Controlled Bowl Fill Level forUroflow Measurement” also filed on 17 Jun. 2019; and 62/888,965 titled“Toilet with Precise Fill Level” also filed on 19 Aug. 2019, all ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to toilets. More particularly, it relatesto analytical toilets equipped to provide health and wellnessinformation to the user.

BACKGROUND

The ability to track an individual's health and wellness is currentlylimited due to the lack of available data related to personal health.Many diagnostic tools are based on examination and testing of excreta,but the high cost of frequent doctor's visits and/or scans make theseoptions available only on a very limited and infrequent basis. Thus,they are not widely available to people interested in tracking their ownpersonal wellbeing.

Toilets present a fertile environment for locating a variety of usefulsensors to detect, analyze, and track trends for multiple healthconditions. Locating sensors in such a location allows for passiveobservation and tracking on a regular basis of daily visits without thenecessity of visiting a medical clinic for collection of samples anddata. Monitoring trends over time of health conditions supportscontinual wellness monitoring and maintenance rather than waiting forsymptoms to appear and become severe enough to motivate a person to seekcare. At that point, preventative care may be eliminated as an optionleaving only more intrusive and potentially less effective curativetreatments. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Just a few examples of smart toilets and other bathroom devices can beseen in the following U.S. patents and Published applications: U.S. Pat.No. 9,867,513, entitled “Medical Toilet With User Authentication”; U.S.Pat. No. 10,123,784, entitled “In Situ Specimen Collection Receptacle InA Toilet And Being In Communication With A Spectral Analyzer”; U.S. Pat.No. 10,273,674, entitled “Toilet Bowl For Separating Fecal Matter AndUrine For Collection And Analysis”; US 2016/0000378, entitled “HumanHealth Property Monitoring System”; US 2018/0020984, entitled “Method OfMonitoring Health While Using A Toilet”; US 2018/0055488, entitled“Toilet Volatile Organic Compound Analysis System For Urine”; US2018/0078191, entitled “Medical Toilet For Collecting And AnalyzingMultiple Metrics”; US 2018/0140284, entitled “Medical Toilet With UserCustomized Health Metric Validation System”; US 2018/0165417, entitled“Bathroom Telemedicine Station”; U.S. Pat. No. 9,939,307, entitled“Optical Proximity Sensor Based Toilet With Fill Tube Proximity LevelSensing”; and U.S. Pat. No. 9,927,302, entitled “In-toilet Apparatus ForDiscrimination Of Urine and Feces.” The disclosures of all these patentsand applications are incorporated by reference in their entireties.

SUMMARY

In a first aspect, the disclosure provides system for distinguishing atype of excreta deposited in a toilet. The system includes a toilet anda processor. The toilet has a bowl adapted to receive multiple types ofexcreta from a user and a sensor which monitors the volume of excretadeposited in the toilet. The processor compares excreta volume dataderived from the sensor to a database comprising excreta-type volumedata and associates a time segment from the excreta volume data asrepresenting an excreta-type.

In a second aspect, the disclosure provides a method for distinguishinga type of excreta deposited in a toilet. The method includes providing atoilet, monitoring the volume of excreta deposited into the toilet,using data from the monitoring to determine the rate of excreta depositinto the toilet, associating rates of excreta deposit with excreta eventtypes, and using those associated rates to distinguish the type or typesof excreta deposited in the toilet. The toilet includes a bowl adaptedto receive excreta from a user and a sensor which monitors the volume ofexcreta deposited into the bowl.

Further aspects and embodiments are provided in the foregoing drawings,detailed description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings are provided to illustrate certain embodimentsdescribed herein. The drawings are merely illustrative and are notintended to limit the scope of claimed inventions and are not intendedto show every potential feature or embodiment of the claimed inventions.The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; in some instances,certain elements of the drawing may be enlarged with respect to otherelements of the drawing for purposes of illustration.

Regarding figures of graphs or plots of data, it should be understoodthat there are limitations inherent to the format. While efforts aremade for the figures to accurately reflect what is described in the bodyof the disclosure, some features of the figures are approximations,including data point locations and the paths of fit or trend lines.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing an exemplary embodiment of a toiletaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating interior components of the toiletaccording to the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating interior components of the toiletaccording to the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4A is a side view of a first exemplary embodiment of a connectorflush tube according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 4B is a first cross-section view of the connector flush tube of theembodiment of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4C is an alternative second cross-section view of the connectorflush tube of the embodiment of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4D is a second alternative cross section view of the connectorflush tube of the embodiment of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5A is a side view of a second embodiment of a connector flush tubeaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 5B is a cross section view of the connector flush tube of theembodiment of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6A is a side view of a third embodiment of a connector flush tubeaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 6B is a cross section view of the connector flush tube of theembodiment of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view of the expansion area of theembodiment of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 6D is a cross-sectional view of an alternative expansion area ofthe embodiment of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7A is a side view of a fourth embodiment of a connector flush tubeaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 7B is a cross section view of the connector flush tube of theembodiment of FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8A is a side view of a fifth embodiment of a connector flush tubeaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 8B is a cross section view of the connector flush tube of theembodiment of FIG. 8A.

FIG. 9 is a graphical representation of volume data measured in a toiletof the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of processed volume data measuredin a toilet of the present disclosure along with data on the residualrelative to a line fit to the data.

FIG. 11 is a graphical representation calibration data measured in atoilet of the present disclosure and an accompanying PCHP fit.

FIG. 12 is a graphical representation of volume data measured in atoilet of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a graphical representation of volume data measured in atoilet of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a graphical representation of volume and flow rate datameasured in a toilet of the present disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a graphical representation of volume and flow rate datameasured in a toilet of the present disclosure.

FIG. 16 is a graphical representation of volume and bidet status datameasured in a toilet of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17 is a graphical representation of volume and flow rate datameasured in a toilet of the present disclosure.

FIG. 18 is a graphical representation of volume and variance datameasured in a toilet of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description recites various aspects and embodiments of theinventions disclosed herein. No particular embodiment is intended todefine the scope of the invention. Rather, the embodiments providenon-limiting examples of various compositions, and methods that areincluded within the scope of the claimed inventions. The description isto be read from the perspective of one of ordinary skill in the art.Therefore, information that is well known to the ordinarily skilledartisan is not necessarily included.

Definitions

The following terms and phrases have the meanings indicated below,unless otherwise provided herein. This disclosure may employ other termsand phrases not expressly defined herein. Such other terms and phrasesshall have the meanings that they would possess within the context ofthis disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. In someinstances, a term or phrase may be defined in the singular or plural. Insuch instances, it is understood that any term in the singular mayinclude its plural counterpart and vice versa, unless expresslyindicated to the contrary.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include pluralreferents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example,reference to “a substituent” encompasses a single substituent as well astwo or more substituents, and the like.

As used herein, “for example,” “for instance,” “such as,” or “including”are meant to introduce examples that further clarify more generalsubject matter. Unless otherwise expressly indicated, such examples areprovided only as an aid for understanding embodiments illustrated in thepresent disclosure and are not meant to be limiting in any fashion. Nordo these phrases indicate any kind of preference for the disclosedembodiment.

As used herein, “toilet” is meant to refer to any device or system forreceiving human excreta, including urinals.

As used herein, the term “bowl” refers to the portion of a toilet thatis designed to receive excreta.

As used herein, the term “base” refers to the portion of the toiletbelow and around the bowl supporting it.

As used herein, the term “user” refers to any individual who interactswith the toilet and deposits excreta therein.

As used herein, the term “excreta” refers to any substance released fromthe body of a user, including urine, feces, menstrual discharge, saliva,expectorate, sputum, and anything contained or excreted therewith.

As used herein, the term “excretion profile” is meant to refercollectively to the rate of excretion at any moment in time of anexcretion event and the total volume or mass of excreta as a function oftime during an excretion event. The terms “defecation profile” and“urination profile” refer more specifically to the separate measurementof excreta from the anus and urethra, respectively.

As used herein, “fecal event” or “defecation” and similar terms aregenerally interchangeable and are meant to refer to excretion from therectum.

As used herein, “urinary event” or “urination” and the similar terms aregenerally interchangeable and are meant to refer to excretion from theurethra.

As used herein, the term “sensor” is meant to refer to any device fordetecting and/or measuring a property of a person or substanceregardless of how that property is detected or measured, including theabsence of a target molecule or characteristic.

As used herein, the term “data connection” and similar terms are meantto refer to any wired or wireless means of transmitting analog ordigital data and a data connection may refer to a connection within atoilet system or with devices outside the toilet.

As used herein, the term “pressure sensor” is meant to refer to a devicefor pressure measurement of liquids. Pressure is an expression of theforce required to stop a fluid from expanding; it is usually stated interms of force per unit area. Such a pressure sensor usually acts as atransducer because it generates a signal as a function of the pressureimposed.

As used herein, the term “proximity sensor” is meant to refer to asensor able to detect the presence of nearby objects without anyphysical contact. A specific object being sensed is often referred to asthe proximity sensor's target. A proximity sensor often emits anelectromagnetic field or a beam of electromagnetic radiation (infrared,for instance), and looks for changes in the field or return signal. Insome cases, these changes are used to determine how far the target isfrom the proximity sensor.

As used herein, the terms “weight sensor” and “load cell” are intendedto have a relatively broad meaning, referring to a transducer,specifically a force transducer that converts a force such as tension,compression, pressure, or torque into an electrical signal that can bemeasured and standardized. As the force applied to the weight sensor orload cell increases, the electrical signal changes proportionally.

As used herein, “flush water” is meant to refer to standing water in thetoilet, along with any excreta contained therein, which can be removedfrom the toilet to facilitate removing excreta from the toilet. Flushwater may also contain other matter received by the bowl, includingtoilet paper, cleaning or sterilizing agents, and reagents. Flush wateris not intended to refer to water or other liquids added to the bowl orother components during excreta removal or cleansing.

As used herein and when use in the context of signal processing, theterm “filter” and its derivatives are meant to refer to processing of asignal with the potential to change all or portions of the signal. Forexample, a high pass filter filters an electric signal such that higherfrequencies are allowed to remain in the signal while frequencies belowa cutoff frequency are not allowed to remain in the signal.Alternatively, a low pass filter will filter an electric signal suchthat lower frequencies are allowed to remain in the signal whilefrequencies above a cutoff frequency are not allowed to remain in thesignal. There are many other types of filters used for signal processingwhich are helpful for many different goals; these filters can affectmany characteristics of a signal. For example, a filter acting on anelectric signal can affect, among other properties of the signal, thefrequency(ies), wavelength(s), voltage, power, and/or amplitude.

This disclosure includes reference to the “derivative” of a data set.Broadly defined, a derivative is the ratio of the change in one variable(generally a dependent variable such as intensity (I) or volume (V)) tothe change in another variable (generally an independent variable suchas distance (D) or time (T) upon which the dependent variable depends).It is generally determined based on consecutive values of theindependent variable. One example is the change in the V divided by thechange in the T. If data were presented as points represented in theform (T,V), the data points (1,3) and (2,7) would have a derivative of 4because (7−3)/(2−1)=4. In this example, the data points would representthe volume at two different times and the derivative is how much thevolume changed between those times.

When working with real-time sensor data, there are likely to be erraticand/or unrelated increases and decreases in the measured value as timeadvances, which are often collectively referred to as “noise.” Variousprocesses can be applied to average, remove, or otherwise distinguishthe noise from the desired data. These processes can be appliedregardless of whether the noise amplitude is large or small. If there ishigh amplitude noise, uncertainty in the measurements will be high. Forexample, when the noise amplitude is high and more aggressive filtersare applied, they might mask desired features in the data. In general,the smaller the amplitude of the noise is with respect to the amplitudeof the signal of interest being measured, the more precisely the signalcan be measured. In general, the larger the amplitude of the noise iswith respect to the amplitude of the signal of interest being measured,the higher the uncertainty of the resulting measurement will be large.Continuing with the time-volume (T-V) example above, there may not be asignificant change to the volume. But the sensor may report smallchanges in the volume between consecutive data points and, especiallywhen using a data sampling rate under 1 time unit (e.g., a time unit of1 second and a sampling rate of 20 milliseconds), can cause thederivative to significantly multiply. But, if the noise has a localaverage of 0, this can be used to determine that the relevant derivativefor this period of time was also 0.

One common analysis of data sets, especially when there is noise, is todetermine how the data is trending, be it in the positive, negative, or‘no change’ direction. Such trending is a useful summary of the datathat can facilitate further assessment of the data. There are manydifferent approaches known to statisticians and others similarlycompetent in data set assessment. Again, continuing with the time-volumeexample from above, 1000 volume data points (in mL) from a 5 second (s)period of time may result in noise with positive and negative jumps withcorresponding derivatives in the range of positive and negative 20-40mL/s. But when the noise is averaged for the time period, the data mayshow an average derivative or increase of fluid of approximately 1 mL/sduring the 5 second period.

During an excreta event, the volume of flush water is unlikely to have aconstant derivative. There are many ways to get a more accuratedepiction of the derivative. A simple type of approach would be to use arolling average of 15 consecutive data points. While there are many waysto implement this, the general concept is to use the average of 15consecutive data points rather than an individual data point. Continuingto use the example from above, one example implementation is as follows,the volume from the 135th data point could be represented by an averageof the sensor data from the 130th-145th data points, the 136th by theaverage from the 131st-146th, the 137th by the average from the132nd-147th, and so forth applied to nearly all of the 1000 data points.Then, these average volumes could be used to determine the derivativebetween consecutive data points. This is just one of many approaches toprocess sensor data that are known to one skilled in the art. Someapproaches are different versions of the rolling average approach andmay vary any number of factors, including the number of data pointgrouped together, the distance between data points, the number of datapoints preceding and/or following the chosen data point, and whether theaverage is of the raw data or following an algorithmic or otherprocessing of the signal. Other approaches use software and/or hardwareand include many approaches that are more complex or specialized forspecific goals.

As used herein, “Butterworth filter” is meant to refer to a signalprocessing filter designed to have a frequency response as flat aspossible in the bandpass. The bandpass is a range of frequencies orwavelengths that can pass through a filter.

Exemplary Embodiments

The present disclosure relates to a toilet that receives excreta from auser and includes instrumentation capable of determining one or moreproperty of the excreta related to excreta's volume or flow rate andalso of differentiating between types of excreta. One benefit of thepresent invention is being able to easily monitor a person's excretaevent with the convenience of using the toilet (as opposed to taking asample or using specialized equipment not commonly available in arestroom or lavatory.

Now referring to FIGS. 1-3, one embodiment of a toilet is shown. FIG. 1is an isometric view of toilet 100 with tank 150 and with lid 130 up,exposing seat 120 and bowl 140. Additionally, it shows footpad 198 infront of the toilet, which may include a scale, ECG leads, or otherdesired components. Toilet 100 includes shroud 110. Seat 120 showssensors 122. Lid 130 includes sensor 132, which may be an acousticsensor, electric lead, or other relevant sensor.

FIG. 2 shows toilet 100 with shroud 110 and other components removed toshow some of the interior components of toilet 100. Lid 130 is showndown. Additionally, a central connector 164 fluidly connects bowl 140with connector flush tube 161 and p-trap drain tube 168. Connector flushtube 161 contains flush water sensor 162 which is configured to monitorthe flush water and provide data that can be used to determine volumecharacteristics of the flush water, such as volume, volume change,and/or the time-relative status of properties. P-trap 168 provides afluid connection from central connector 164 to drain 200. Drain 200 canbe connected to any number of things, including a sewer drain, septicsystem, recycling system which process the flush water for reuse, septictank, or other container for receiving and storing excreta and flushwater.

The figure includes a reference to additional hardware 192, which caninclude a variety of instruments, processors, and/or other electronichardware required for the function of the toilet. In one preferredembodiment, additional hardware 192 includes a spectrometer, a computerprocessor, computer memory, one or more electric signal processor, apower supply or adapter, data transmission and reception. Otherembodiments may only include a smaller subset of these components and/ormay include additional items to facilitate the functions of the toilet,including data collection, data processing, and/or data transfer. Any ofthese or other components that support the functions of the toilet maybe housed within the tank, including components that facilitate flushingthe toilet and providing for a specific amount or level of flush waterin the toilet.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing fluid handling areas within toilet 100; ithas been flattened to a 2-dimensional image from its preferred3-dimensional configuration for ease of understanding and may notaccurately depict contouring, sizing, or location for all embodiments.Flush water 360 generally resides in toilet 100 and is in contact withbowl 140, central connector 164, connector flush tube 161, p-trap 168,and potentially with volume control drain 166 and drain control 394.Excreta can be deposited into bowl 140 of toilet 100 and then receivedby flush water 360. When the toilet is flushed, tank water 350 exitstank 150 through rim flush valve 152 into rim flush tube 142 to flushexcreta and other material from bowl 140 into central connector 164.Also, as part of the flush, tank water 350 flows through connector flushvalve 154 into connector flush tube 161 toward central connector 164.Tank water 350 then flows through central connector 164 and p-trap 168into drain 200, carrying with it flush water 360, which can includeexcreta and other free moving materials contained therein. Following aflush, tank 150 is filled with a new supply of tank water 350 from watersupply connection 390. Any or all of the valves may be manuallycontrolled, electronically controlled, or any combination of the two.

Flush water sensor 162 monitors a property of flush water 360 related tothe volume of the flush water, such as the pressure exerted by flushwater 360 or the height of flush water 360. The signal from flush watersensor 162 can change as excreta is received by the flush water. Ifflush water 360 has risen to its maximum and/or begun overflowingthrough p-trap 168 to drain 200, the addition of excreta may not changethe flush water sensor output signal. Based on the sensor chosen, thesignal may also change for unrelated reasons, including flushing of thetoilet, non-excreta being receive by flush water 360, or air pressurechanges near the surface of the flush water.

Continuing with the embodiment in FIG. 3, the signal from the flushwater sensor can be used to determine if a predetermined or desiredamount of flush water is in the toilet. Based on that determinationwater can be added to the flush water to increase the amount of flushwater. Alternatively, a portion of the flush water may be removed todecrease the amount of flush water. Water may be added through connectorflush valve 154. Alternatively, a different mechanism, such as anothervalve or a pump, may be used to add water to the flush water. A portionof the flush water may be removed by processor 392 sending a signal toopen drain control 394 so flush water can flow through volume controldrain 166; in one preferred embodiment, processor 392 is part ofadditional hardware 192. In one preferred embodiment, the position ofthe opening of volume control drain 166 to the flush water is such thatit will not drain below the minimum desired height of the flush water.Alternatively, the position of the opening of volume control drain 166to the flush water is below the desired flush water height.Alternatively, a portion of the flush water may be pumped out to thedrain or removed to another location other than the drain. In anotheralternative embodiment, a single orifice providing access to the flushwater may be used to add water and/or removed flush water from the flushwater. There are a variety of configurations that could implement such asingle orifice, including a bidirectional pump and/or valving.Alternatively, the geometry of the structure holding the flush water maybe modified to change the volume read by the flush water sensor withoutchanging the actual volume of flush water present in the toilet.Additionally, the geometry of the flush pathway also affects flushefficiency.

The various parts of the toilet can be made from many materials. Thereare many different considerations that can influence the material choiceand other elements of the design of these parts, including the overallapplication, cost, wear conditions in or around the toilet, requiredmaintenance, structural requirements, aesthetics and other elements ofindustrial design, comfort of use, ease of installation, physical space,functions and features of the toilet, safety, sanitation, and cleaning.In one preferred embodiment, many of the functions related to water inthe toilet are automated and controlled by a processor, withelectro-mechanical valves connected to and operated by the processor.

One common material of construction for significant portions of toiletsis ceramic. One reason a toilet has some of this material is for thestructural support of the toilet and a user seated thereon. By switchingto an internal-frame supported toilet, components such as the tank,bowl, and piping can more easily be made from other materials. Theseother materials also facilitate the integration of more complexgeometries as well as the addition of sensors and other electronics.

In one preferred embodiment, the toilet shroud is plastic. Inalternative embodiments, the shroud can be made from other materialsthat meet the needs of the application and the above describedconsiderations, including cost, manufacturability, structural design,industrial design, environment conditions, and ease of installation. Inone preferred embodiment, other exterior components are designed tovisually match or complement the shroud, including the lid, seat, tank,tank lid, and bowl. These components can thus be made of the samematerial as the shroud or one that can be made to look visually similar.Other important considerations in material choice are discussed above.

In one preferred embodiment, the area that contains the flush water iscomplex and serves many purposes, including catching excreta and hygieneelements, being cleaned of excreta and other mater, accommodatingsensors and electronics that monitor various aspects and/or uses of thetoilet, elements which enable adjustments to the amount of flush water,and preventing the flush water from leaking out of the area. Eachpurpose and function provides its own set of design requirements to bebalanced with the other requirement. Of particular note in oneembodiment are two functions associated with monitoring the deposit ofexcreta into the toilet: allowing for increase of the volume of theflush water and monitoring a property of the flush water related to thevolume of the flush water. In alternative embodiments, the volume of theflush water contained does not change, but the spillover from volumebeing added to the flush water is measured.

There are many ways to adjust the volume of flush water. The chosendesign will consider the factors mentioned above. In one preferredembodiment, the flush water volume is constrained by the geometry of theparts which contain it, including the bowl and piping. The maximumvolume of flush water is additionally determined by the height of thep-trap and the amount of meniscus that the flush water can form beforespilling over the bend in the p-trap (the meniscus is influenced by,among other things, the surface tension of the flush water and whetherthe incident surface of the p-trap compromises the formation of themeniscus, such as by being wet). In many toilets, the meniscusformation, the force of the flush, and subsequent evaporation are whatcontrol the volume of flush water in the toilet and do not necessarilyprovide the same amount of flush water at each use. In one preferredembodiment, a consistent amount of flush water is desired for reasonsincluding providing a more consistent measurement scenario and settingor even maximizing the amount of excreta volume that can be measuredbefore spill-over makes it appear that the volume is no longerincreasing.

There are many mechanisms or flush water volume regulation systems thatcan be used to increase or decrease the amount of flush water as measureby the flush water sensor. Some change the amount of flush water in thetoilet. These mechanisms or regulators may utilize gravity flow,siphons, or otherwise existing pressure differentials to add to orremove flush water and selectively restrict the flow with physicalbarriers such as valves, gates, or tubes that constrict or expand. Theselective restriction of flow may be electronically controlled, such asa processor actuating a solenoid on a valve. It may also be mechanicallycontrolled, such as using a float configured to open and close a valve.Other common volume regulators use additional energy to induce the flowand may manifest as equipment such as pumps, turbines, or mechanicalscoops. Others mechanisms or regulators make adjustments to the shape ofthe volume to change the amount of flush water that is apparent to theflush water sensor, such as moving the walls of the fluid pathwayscontaining the flush water or filling or emptying a bladder.

In one preferred embodiment and particularly to maximize the measurementcapacity of the toilet, the flush water level is lowered from the levelinitially created following the flush of the toilet. More preferably,the flush water level is drained until a desired flush water level isreached. In one preferred embodiment, the flush water level is reducedto approximately 450 mL below the maximum. In another preferredembodiment, the flush water level is reduced to approximately 500 mLbelow the maximum. In a third preferred embodiment, the flush waterlevel is reduced to approximately 1000 mL below the maximum.Alternatively, the flush water level may be increased to a desired flushwater level following a flush of the toilet. One reason for using adesired flush water starting level during an excreta event is to ensurethat increases in volume due to user deposits of excreta into the toiletoccur in a flush water range for which the flush water sensor isoptimized. One element of optimization for the flush water sensor isensuring the sensor has adequate resolution. Another element is that theflush water sensor, response can be specified as either strictlyincreasing or strictly decreasing.

In an alternative embodiment, the volume of flush water does not change,but the shape of the volume of flush water is changed to allow for thedesired amount of volume to be measured. For example, a sidewall of thefluid passages containing the flush water maybe repositioned so that thesame volume of flush water has a higher or lower top surface level, thusrepositioning the top surface relative to the flush water sensor. Inanother example, a bladder or similar device may be filled or emptied toreposition the location of the top height of the flush water. It is alsopossible to change the reading of the flush water sensor by moving thesensor relative to the flush water. For example, raising or lowing thepressure sensor will correlate to a relative decrease or increase in thepressure read by the sensor. Similarly, raising or lowing the proximitysensor will correlate to a relative decrease or increase in the amountof wave detected by the sensor.

One preferred embodiment is able to measure 450-500 mL before spillover.This is sufficient to measure volumes of excreta which are that size orsmaller but renders difficult the measurement for volumes over that.This embodiment is deemed to provide a fair balance between measurementof excreta and other factors such as providing a barrier between thesewer air and the environment and flush efficiency of the toilet.

Alternative embodiments may look to increase the possible excreta volumemeasurement while still optimizing other functionality of the toilet. Inone preferred embodiment, some possible ways of increasing themeasurable volume change of the flush water include changing thegeometry containing the flush water at or near the connector flush tube.FIGS. 4A-8B show various ways of doing this. A common trait to theembodiments in these figures is that the additional volume for the flushwater remains open to gage pressure so the flush water flow into theseareas is not restricted by a pressure build up. Preferably, any overflowof the maximum flush water level is into the drain. More preferably, theaccess to gage pressure for the additional flush water area is above themaximum fill of the p-trap so any flush water in excess of the maximumwill overflow the p-trap rather than the access.

Referring to FIGS. 4A-4D. FIG. 4A shows a side view of connector flushtube 460. It also shows flush water maximum height 468, flush waterstarting height 469, and FIG. 4B cross section line 499. FIG. 4B shows across section of connector flush tube 460 along with flush water maximumheight 468 and flush water starting height 469. FIG. 4C shows analternative cross section of connector flush tube 460 along with flushwater maximum height 468 c and flush water starting height 469 c. FIG.4D shows another alternative cross section of connector flush tube 460along with flush water maximum height 468 d and flush water startingheight 469 d. The different cross sections provide differentcross-sectional areas for the flush water and therefore may allow fordifferent total flush water volume between the flush water starting andmaximum heights.

FIGS. 5A-8B in particular show various embodiments with a small openinginto the area where flush water is measured, the goal being to providean additional location for flush water to be collected for measurementduring an excretion event prior to flush water spilling over the p-trap.The geometry of the small opening is meant to allow sufficient flushwater flow between the two areas while at the same time minimizenegative effects on the flush power of the toilet, such as the flushingcapability of the tank water as it flushes through the toilet to thedrain. Common negative effects include the geometry introducinghydrodynamic responses that restrict or interrupt the fluid flow,including increased drag, turbidity, low pressure regions, and eddies.

Preferably, the embodiments in FIGS. 5A-8B have some othercommonalities. For example, each may include a connection for a supplyof water and/or other cleaners to flush the flush water from theadditional location so it may be cleaned out when desired, such asduring a flush cycle. Each may also include its own mechanism fordetermining the amount or volume of flush water in the area, such as afloat, proximity sensor, pressure sensor, weight sensor, an image sensorsuch as a camera that can see the fluid height relative to the containerholding flush water in the additional location, or a combination ofsensors and/other instrumentation. Another commonality is that at leastpart of the connection between the connector flush tube and theadditional location is below the maximum height of the flush water tofacilitate filling of the additional location before spillover.Additionally, for the purpose of providing more flush water volumeexpansion before spilling over the p-trap during potential excretaevents, the geometry of the expansion area is much less important thanthe location and geometry of the connection between it and the flushwater. In one preferred embodiment, the connection is above the minimumflush water height so the expansion area does not fill up until afterpotential excreta events begin.

Referring to FIGS. 5A-5B. FIG. 5A shows expansion area 562 attached toconnector flush tube 560. It also shows flush water maximum height 568,flush water starting height 569. FIG. 5B shows an internal diagram ofthe expansion area 562 connecting to connector flush tube 560.

Referring to FIGS. 6A-6B. FIG. 6A shows expansion area 662 attached toconnector flush tube 660. Expansion area 662 includes opening 665 whichcan facilitate leaving expansion area 662 open to gage pressure and/orflushing flush water from expansion area 662. It also shows flush watermaximum height 668, flush water starting height 669. Also pictured isadditional volume sensor 664. In one preferred embodiment, volume sensor664 is a load cell. FIG. 6B shows an internal diagram of the expansionarea 662 connecting to connector flush tube 660. If there is physicalspace, the expansion area can go much lower in elevation than otherportions of the toilet's fluid pathways, allowing for an increase involume capacity for the expansion area without expanding it outward.

Referring to FIGS. 7A-7B. FIG. 7A shows expansion area 762 attached toconnector flush tube 760. Expansion area 762 includes opening 765 whichcan facilitate leaving expansion area 762 open to gage pressure and/orflushing or cleaning flush water from expansion area 762. It also showsflush water maximum height 768, flush water starting height 769. FIG. 7Bshows an internal diagram of the expansion area 762 connecting toconnector flush tube 760. One benefit of using a tube rather than a moreopen, chamber style expansion area is that it is often easier to clean atube than a more open area. One drawback of a tube over an open area canbe that the structure of a tube may take up more physical space andthere are often tight physical space constraints within toilets andtheir placement within a restroom.

Referring to FIGS. 8A-8B. FIG. 8A shows expansion area 862 attached toconnector flush tube 860. Expansion area 862 includes opening 865 whichcan facilitate leaving expansion area 862 open to gauge pressure and/orflushing or cleaning flush water from expansion area 862. It also showsflush water maximum height 868, flush water starting height 869. FIG. 8Bshows an internal diagram of the expansion area 862 connecting toconnector flush tube 860. One benefit of the embodiment in FIGS. 8A and8B are its combination of increased depth from the embodiment in FIGS.6A and 6B and the ease of cleaning compared to the embodiment depictedin FIGS. 7A and 7B.

Regarding monitoring a property of the flush water related to itsvolume, in one preferred embodiment, a characteristic related to thevolume of the flush water is measured. As measured, the characteristicmay be a relative value that is compared to the value at another time orrepresentative of the whole volume of flush water that does not need tobe compared to another measurement. The characteristic of the volume maybe determined from any number of properties, including its total weight,the pressure exerted at a specific location, or the height of the topsurface. In one preferred embodiment, a pressure sensor monitors thepressure exerted by the flush water at a location below the top surfaceof the flush water. The pressure sensor may be in direct contact withthe flush water or may be separated from the flush water by a membrane,diaphragm, or other physical barrier that still transfers at least someof the force exerted by the flush water. Additionally, the pressuresensor may be remote from the flush water and have a pressuretransmitting connection such as a tube of fluid at the previouslymentioned location. The height of the top surface of the flush water canchange, so the pressure monitoring location does not always have to bebelow the top surface of the flush water; this can affect theeffectiveness of the sensor. In one preferred embodiment represented inFIG. 6C, load cell 664 comprises metal bar 667 with strain gauges 665mounted on it. For example, the Mini Load Cell—500 g, Straight Bar(TAL221) sold by Sparkfun at the web addresshttps://www.sparkfun.com/products/14728) is a suitable pressuretransducer. When the height 690 of the liquid column changes, the forceexerted through diaphragm 663 on metal bar 667 changes. Then the flex ofmetal bar 667 changes. Then the electrical signal from strain gauges 665change. The electrical signal from strain gauge 665 is recorded overtime. By means of calibration, a relationship between electrical signal,liquid height and/or volume is established. An advantage this device hasover a proximity sensor is that this device is sensitive over a muchlarger range of liquid heights. It also is unresponsive to debris in thewater. In an alternative embodiment represented in FIG. 6D, diaphragm663 d is housed within chamber 672 which isolates it from debris in theflush water. It may have port 674 which is open to and in fluidcommunication with the flush water. It may also have rinse tube 676 fromwhich a supply of tank or other rinsing water may clean out the chamber;preferably, rinse tube 676 will be angled so as to create a vortex inthe chamber during clean out. Additionally, cap 673 encloses load cell664 so flush water does not leak out of the chamber if diaphragm 669ruptures.

In another preferred embodiment, a proximity sensor is used to monitorthe height of the flush water by emitting electromagnetic (such as lightor near visible light waves) or pressure waves (such as acoustic waves),the waves reflect off the top surface of the flush water, and the sensormonitors the return the waves. More preferably with the proximity sensorembodiment, the proximity sensor is located below the top surface of theflush water. Alternatively, the proximity sensor is located above thetop surface of the water. Additionally, the relative location of theproximity sensor to the top surface of the flush water may change as theflush water height changes—this may nullify readings of the proximitysensor for some volumes of the flush water. The proximity sensor maybein direct contact with the flush water or maybe separated from the flushwater by a material which still allows for the transmission of thewaves. With this type of proximity sensor, the strength of the wavesbeing measured by the sensor can be correlated to specific or relativevolumes of the flush water and/or excreta therein.

The toilet is configured to receive excreta from the user and measurethe volume of the excreta as it is received by the bowl and into theflush water. Preferably, the toilet is capable of raising and loweringthe flush water level, allowing the toilet to set the flush water to alevel below the spillover in the P-trap. In one preferred embodiment,the volume of excreta is determined by measuring the change in thevolume of the flush water. In such an embodiment, it is beneficial forthe flush water volume to increase without a portion of the flush waterdraining away from the main portion of flush water. Once implemented forgeneral use, the toilet preferably experiences a cycle such as thefollowing:

-   -   1. Prior to a user using the toilet:        -   i. The water sensor detects the amount of flush water;        -   ii. The amount of flush water is compared to a preferred            amount of flush water;        -   iii. If there is too much flush water, some of the flush            water is drained;        -   iv. If there is not enough flush water, additional water is            added to the flush water.    -   2. During and after a user uses the toilet, including depositing        excreta into the toilet:        -   i. A user positions themselves so as to be able to deposit            excreta into the bowl of the toilet, usually in a sitting or            standing position;        -   ii. The user deposits excreta it into the bowl.        -   iii. The bowl receives the excreta and at least some of the            excreta settles into the flush water.        -   iv. As the excreta is received into the flush water, the            volume or water level of the flush water is monitored by the            flush water sensor.        -   v. The flush water sensor data is used to determine one or            more properties related to the volume or amount of excreta            deposited into the toilet, for example:            -   a. The change over time of the flush water volume or                height can be used to determine the flow rate of                excreta.            -   b. The total change in flush water volume or water level                can be used to determine the total amount of excreta                deposited.            -   c. The volume, amount, or flow rate of a specific                excreta type, such as urine or feces, can be separated                out from the rest of the flush water volume data.        -   vi. The data and/or results are used further, which may            manifest as:            -   a. Comparing or adding the data and/or results to a                database based on historic data and/or results, derived                from this user and/or at least one other person.            -   b. Using the data and/or results to determine a probable                health or wellness state or condition of the user.            -   c. Making the data and/or results available to the user.            -   d. Making the data and/or results available to a health,                wellness, or care provider.        -   vii. When the user has completed their use of the toilet,            the toilet rinses the bowl and flushes the flush water with            water from the water tank. Alternatively, the water comes            directly from a supply pipe such as may be found in            commercial toilets which forego a water tank; these supply            pipe generally have a higher water pressure requirement than            residential toilets.

In one preferred embodiment, the toilet is pre-calibrated by adding oneor more known volumes to the flush water and associating that knownvolume with data generated by the flush water sensor.

In one preferred exemplary embodiment, the user is identified so thedata and results are associated with the user, this can be done in avariety of ways, including:

-   -   1. The user or another person manually inputting an identifier        into a user interface in communication with the toilet or a        remote device such as a cloud-based service. The user interface        may be integrated into or mounted on the toilet, positioned near        the toilet, at the entrance to or within an area of controlled        access including the toilet, on a mobile or other personal        electronic device, or a remote location (which may be preferable        if the identifier is input by an observer monitoring or        controlling who and/or when a user is allowed access to the        toilet).    -   2. The toilet—or a nearby device in communication with the        toilet or a remote device such as a cloud-based        service—detecting an electronic signal associated with the user,        such as from an electronic device. The signal may include a        wireless signal generated by an RFID tag, cellular phone, wi-fi        device, Bluetooth device, other smart device, or other        electromagnetic wave producer.    -   3. The toilet—or a nearby device in communication with the        toilet or a remote device such as a cloud-based        service—detecting one or more property of the user, which can be        compared to a database of users and may identify the user as a        specific user, a new user, and/or a return user. There are a        variety of sensors that can be incorporated with or near the        toilet to detect the properties of the user, including PPG        sensors, weight or pressure sensors, visible or near visible        imaging sensors, acoustic sensors, capacitive or bioimpedance        sensors. There are a variety of properties that can be used to        identify a user, including height, weight, posture, heart rate,        epidermal characteristics (e.g., fingerprints, pigmentation,        skin oil, hair distribution, pores, veins, etc.), sound, and        detectable volatile organic compounds to name a few.

Data from the flush water sensor which contains an excreta event can beused to determine various properties about the excreta event. There area multitude of ways in which this data can be analysis. Additionally,excreta event data from the flush water sensor can be combined with datafrom other sensors and/or historic excreta events to provide relevantinformation about a person's excreta event and/or overall health andwellness. One way of analyzing the data is to upload it to a neuralnetwork that has been trained to analyze the data. Preferably, theneural network is capable of image processing. The flush water sensordata with a probable excreta event is used to create an image (e.g., aplot of the sensor data over time) readable by the neural network, theimage is analyzed by the neural network, and the neural networkassociates one or more portion of the image with an excreta-type (suchas urine, feces, urine and feces, other, and/or non-excreta). Thisinformation can be output, used to derive additional information aboutany excreta events (e.g., flow rate or total volume of an event), and/orused in combination with other data in the neural network to estimate aperson's health or wellness. Alternatively, as described in more detailin later paragraphs, the data can be processed and/or analyzed without aneural network to identify excreta events and glean information such asflow rate and/or total volume of an event.

The form in which the data and/or results are presented can vary widelyand will depend on many factors, including intended audience, whatinformation is relevant or helpful to the intended audience, ease ofcommunicating information, cost, and timeliness among others. Data maybe used exclusively from one use of the toilet or may be used in concertwith data from previous uses of the toilet or from another device. Thiscan facilitate producing additional results that depend on data frommultiple uses of the toilet, such as trends over time. This can alsofacilitate analysis based on larger datasets which include data fromother sensors and/or testing methods. Some exemplary sensors or testingmethods including imaging sensors, MOS/CMOS, CCD, spectrometers, volumemeasurement devices, weight sensors, chromatographs, FET, nanoFET,MOSFET, mass spectrometers, electrodes, microphones, load cells,pressure gauges, PPG, temperature gauges, thermometers (including IR andthermocouples), rheometers, durometers, pH detectors, and scentdetectors. Examples of ways the data and/or results are presentedinclude:

-   -   1. A color or light system on or near the toilet that indicates        a characteristic of the results, such as whether the analysis        was completed successfully, whether the user was successfully        identified, whether the data was successfully associated with a        user, and/or whether additional health or wellness care should        be pursued.    -   2. A summary of the data, especially one that draws attention to        potential health and wellness concerns (or the lack thereof),        such as normal excreta activity, abnormal urine flow, lose or        diarrhetic stools, whether the user is sufficiently hydrated,        and/or trends over time.    -   3. A detailed overview of the data and/or results, including        breakouts of specific portions of the data/results.

In one preferred embodiment, certain challenges are associated withgetting excreta measurements from the flush water volume. The toiletbowl is not optimized exclusively for urodynamics measurements. As aconsequence, a resonant oscillation and other sources of noise read bythe water sensor need to be considered to improve the usability of theraw data. As opposed to a dedicated urodynamics instrument, which onlyreceives urine, a toilet bowl and flush water receive a variety ofexcreta types and foreign material, which can include urine, feces,toilet paper, bidet water, and other materials such as vomit andnon-excreta waste. Also, pressure variations on either the bathroom sideof the flush water or the sewer side of the flush water can introducenoise which interferes with relevant measurements. Thus, the algorithmswhich process the sensor data preferably provide quantitative metricsand also differentiate between urination, defecation, pressure changes,and other additions to the flush water. Additionally, data from othersensors incorporated in or near the toilet can aid in differentiation.Additional information about the user may also guide algorithms.Preferably, multiple sources of information are used to make decisionsregarding the toilet and user data.

One preferred exemplary algorithm sequence is as follows:

-   -   1. Raw proximity sensor data is converted to time series volume        data with the aid of calibration information.    -   2. The volume data of Step 1 is subject to a low-pass filter        that almost completely removes features shorter than 2-4        seconds, which encompasses the range of the period of bowl        oscillations. From the result, excreta events are detected,        urination and defecation volumes are determined, and urination        flow rates are determined.    -   3. The volume data of Step 1 is subjected to a low-pass filter        that allows the resonance with a period of 2 seconds to be        preserved. This resonance correlates with high flow rate        additions, such as with defecation. This resonance can be used        to mark a defecation event.    -   4. With the aid of the above filters, tables are created of        excreta candidates and defecation candidates.    -   5. The candidates in the tables are subjected to a variety of        tests. Each candidate is classified as either a “urination        event”, a “defecation event”, or is rejected. Many times,        defecation and urination occur at the same time. In one        preferred embodiment, these mixed events are treated as        defecation events. Alternatively, these mixed events can be        handled differently, such as being classified as a “mixed event”        or separating the increased volume from the mixed event into its        urine and feces volume components.    -   6. Each excreta event that passes the tests in Step 5 is        quantified. Data classified as being from a urination event can        be used to determine an event's urination volume, average flow        rate, maximum flow rate, duration, and/or other metrics.

In one preferred embodiment, the water sensor regularly monitors theflush water volume. In this case, one preferable objective of thealgorithm process is to minimize incorrect classifications. For example,the algorithm man be configured to recognize data as representing atoilet paper drop into the flush water or pressure fluctuation near theflush water rather than an excreta event. As another example, thealgorithm could recognize a urination event as different from asdefecation event.

In one preferred embodiment, a proximity sensor is located in the fulltube. It provides an intensity response that is related to liquid level.This can be achieved through the use of an electromagnetic wave emitterbouncing waves off of the surface of the flush water and measuring theintensity of the returning waves with an electromagnetic wave receiver.

In one preferred embodiment, calibration is carried out. Morepreferably, calibration is only required in the factory. In anotherembodiment, calibration may be completed in the factory and may becompleted if the volume sensor characteristic changes over time.Alternatively, on a weekly basis a calibration is carried out thatrelates proximity sensor response to volume added to bowl, starting froma specified response. This creates a calibration curve based on the datarelating specific volume changes to specific responses of the proximitysensor. FIG. 9 shows example sets of proximity sensor calibration datagathered in 2017 and 2018 for a toilet with a proximity sensor as theflush water sensor. Along the bottom of the graph (x-axis) is the volumeadded to the toilet in mL. Along the left side of the graph (y-axis) isthe proximity sensor response, or the signal from the proximity sensor.Each line represents data from one calibration. A similar process forcalibration could be performed for other sensors as well.

In this embodiment, when sensor data from an excreta event is analyzed,the most recently preceding calibration curve is applied to obtain flushwater volume data. Before the calibration data is used, an outlierremoval routine is applied. The routine fits a spline to the data andrejects the largest residual that is greater than a threshold. Theprocess is repeated until no outliers are greater than the threshold.FIG. 10 shows a couple of graphs which provide an example of proximitysensor calibration data outlier rejection. The x-axis of both graphsshows the volume in mL. The y-axis of the top graph shows the responseof a proximity sensor flush water sensor. The y-axis of the lower graphshows the residuals after removal of the outliers. The top graph shows aset of proximity sensor calibration data and some “fit” lines based ondata, which could be understood to be trend lines for the applicabledata. Fit 1 is before rejection of any outliers in the data. Fit 2 andFit accepted are iterations after one or more outlier has been rejected(i.e., removed from the set of data being used).

In the above, the individual calibration data is fit using a “PiecewiseCubic Hermite Interpolating Polynomial” (PCHIP) tool available in thePython library SciPy. With PCHIP, the fit passes through each datapoint, as is demonstrated in FIG. 11, which shows volume along thex-axis and proximity sensor response along the y-axis. The points aredata from a calibration and the line is a PCHIP fit for the data. Adisadvantage of PCHIP is that the noise is fit, even after outlierrejection. A polynomial spline fit would provide better noise rejection.A reason not to use a spline is because sometimes the spline fit is notmonotonic between 400 and 450 mL; this could be resolved in many ways,one of which is with more sophisticated outlier rejection. To improvethe quality of the calibration data, some automation of the calibrationprocedure or real-time outlier checking may be helpful.

With a proximity sensor, the volume sensitivity is high at low volumesand decreases as the volume in the bowl increases. This can be seen inFIG. 9. A different setup for sensing the flush water volume could havehigher sensitivity. Such alternatives could improve sensitivity over theentire range of detection or could focus on improving the sensitivity onone or more specific portions of the detection range. Improvements couldcome in many forms, including the number and types of sensors used forflush water volume monitoring, geometry of applicable portions of thetoilet, and/or the addition of additional material into the system.Alternatives in the area of sensors include using more than oneproximity sensor to cover different ranges and/or using high sensitivitypressure transducers.

In one preferred embodiment, the first step in analyzing sensor datafrom an excreta event is to apply a Butterworth low pass filter. Then acalibration curve is applied. When the calibration curve is applied tothe sensor data, any extrapolation is truncated to the maximum orminimum volume found in the calibration data. Not truncating can givevery erratic extrapolation results. An example of truncation with aceiling of 450 mL is demonstrated in FIG. 12, which shows sample datafrom a proximity sensor with the ceiling at 450 mL. The x-axis of bothgraphs shows time in seconds (s) and have the same time range. The topgraph has a y-axis of proximity response and shows lines representingraw and filtered proximity sensor response. The bottom graph has ay-axis of volume in mL and has a line representing the volume over timeafter filtering and truncation of the data. As with the other examplesabove, a similar approach can be taken with other types of sensors.

As mentioned above, in one preferred embodiment, a Butterworth filter isapplied to the raw data before it is converted to volume data.Preferably, and as pictured in FIG. 13, two Butterworth filters areapplied to the volume data. Each filter produces a volume time-seriesthat serves a different purpose. The more aggressive filter that cutsout a larger frequency range produces a volume time-series that is usedto calculate excreta volumes and urination flow rates and the like(filter 1). The less aggressive filter allows the resonant oscillationswith a period of about 2 sec to pass through (filter 2). These resonantoscillations are established when there are large, quick additions tothe bowl (e.g., defecation) or when there are disturbance to thepressure on either the room side or the sewer side of the flush water(e.g., a door opening, or a flush in a nearby toilet). When a user isdepositing excreta into the toilet, these resonant oscillations areoften indicative of defecation. FIG. 13 shows an example of volume dataand has time (s) on the x-axis and volume (mL) along the y-axis. In thisexample, the dashed line is unfiltered data, solid like that nearlyfollows the unfiltered data is the Butterworth Lowpass 2 filter, and thesmoother line is the Butterworth Lowpass 1 filter. This approach is notcompletely reliable for distinguishing between urination and defecation.Defecation does not always produce prominent oscillations. Additionally,other events, including those noted above, can produce oscillations.

Volume data from a flush water sensor has a variety of characteristicswhich can be categorized into “features”. It is preferable todistinguishing between features that are due to excreta and features dueto other effects on the system. Preferably, the process ofdistinguishing excreta features starts by collecting information aboutall features. At this stage, each feature is preferably termed an“excreta candidate”. Then rules are applied to the excreta candidates toreject those that are likely not due to urination or defecation. Thefeatures that are not rejected are preferably called “excreta events”.

To find excreta candidates in one preferred embodiment, the derivativeis taken of filtered volume data (filter 1) to obtain flow rate.Whenever the flow rate rises above a threshold—which is 0 flow in onepreferred embodiment—and then drops below it, the time period betweenthe crossings is flagged as an “excreta candidate” and information aboutthe candidate is added to a table. This can be seen in FIG. 14, wherethe arrows indicate the locations of excreta candidates.

TABLE 1 Start End Flow Rate Volume Flow Rate Time Time Duration MaximumDelta Average (sec) (sec) (sec) (mL/sec) (mL) (mL/sec) 1 20.2 28.8 8.60.5 1.9 0.2 2 32.0 43.5 4.5 0.4 0.7 0.1 3 39.1 43.5 4.4 0.2 −0.2 0.0 448.1 71.1 23.0 16.4 150.2 6.5 5 73.3 75.0 1.7 0.1 −2.0 −1.2 6 83.1 89.66.5 0.5 0.8 0.1

Some information about the candidates is shown in FIG. 14 and istabulated in Table 1 above; each candidate is listed on its own line inTable 1. FIG. 14 depicts excreta candidate selection. Both graphs havetime in seconds (sec) along the x-axis and share the same range. The topgraph has volume in mL along the y-axis and the lines depict unfilteredvolume data, as well as data that has gone through Butterworth Lowpass 2and 1 (filters 1 and 2 as described above). The bottom graph has flowrate in mL/sec on the y-axis, depicts a line representing the flow rateassociated with the data, and has arrows pointing to excreta candidates(each candidate is represented on the table by its right-most digit,such as candidate “1401” on the figure becoming “1” on the table). Thedata is used by rejection rules to rule out unlikely candidates. In thetable, “Duration” is simply the difference between the start time andthe end time. The “Flow Rate Maximum” is the maximum flow rate betweenthe “Start Time” and the “End Time”. Calculation of the “Volume Delta”is a little more involved. It is the volume reading (top plot in FIG.14) associated with start time of the next candidate less the volumereading associated with the start time of the current candidate. Onereason for this approach is that when a rejection rule based on a volumethreshold is applied, the rejection of false positives is improved.Another reason for this approach is that sometimes volume filter 1overshoots the final volume after a rapid addition to the bowl; thisapproach compensates for that. “Flow Rate Average” is simply “VolumeDelta” divided by “Duration”.

Still referring to FIG. 14, application of a volume threshold rulerejection rule can narrow the list of excreta candidates to a singlelikely excreta event. With a volume threshold rule, if a candidate has avolume delta less than a certain threshold value, that candidate isrejected. Application of this rule with a threshold of about 15 mLleaves only one finalist, number 1404 and the corresponding number 4 onTable 1. Data from excreta deposits can be much more complex that thisand such a filter may not produce such straight-forward results.

In one preferred embodiment, spurious changes and disturbances to bowlliquid level and volume occur when the toilet is flushed, when bowllevel adjustments are made by the toilet itself, when the toilet shiftsposition, when there is an air pressure fluctuation either on the bowlor the sewer side of the flush water, etc. Additionally, the bowl shapemay not be optimized for volume measurements. Preferably, multiplesources of information are used in sorting out true excreta events fromfalse ones. A variety of signals from flush water and other sensors canbe drawn from to assist with this. For example, one preferred embodimenthas a lid position signal that is available. If the lid is down during agiven time window, that data can be used to assume no excreta was addedto the bowl during that time window. Any excretion event candidates thatfall within that time window can therefore be rejected.

One preferred embodiment has the following set of rejection rules tohelp in determining if an excreta candidate is an excreta event.Adjustable thresholds help determine whether a given rule is applied toa dataset with an excreta candidate.

Rule 1: Based on the signal from the flush water sensor: Reject thecandidate if the change in volume is below a specified threshold.

Rule 2: Based on the signal from the flush water sensor: Reject thecandidate if the duration of the change in volume is shorter than aspecified threshold. The results of implementing this rule oftencorrelate with the results of implementing Rule 1.

Rule 3: Based on a signal indicating the lid position: Reject thecandidate if the start time of the candidate occurs when the lidposition indicates the lid is closed; the lid being closed implies thata user could not access the bowl to deposit excreta therein.

Rule 4: Based on a signal indicating whether the bidet is on: Reject thecandidate if the start time of the candidate occurs after the first timethe bidet has turned on (and prior to a flush cycle occurring to resetthe flush water).

Rule 5: Based on a signal regarding the seat position and a weightmeasurement from the seat: Reject the candidate if the seat positionindicates the seat is down but the weight on the seat is below aspecified threshold. This has the potential to falsely reject excretaevents where the user was hovering over the toilet rather than sitting.In an alternative embodiment, a signal from another sensor—such as aninfrared sensor, an image sensors, or weight sensors which detect userweight applied on or near the toilet, but not on the seat—could be usedto mitigate false rejections.

Rule 6: Based on a signal from the flush water sensor: Reject thecandidate if the start time occurs after the flush water volume hasexceeded a specified threshold. Measurements of flush water volume nearthe maximum volume capacity can be less reliable and the volume data istruncated above a specific threshold. Therefore, this rule filters outevents for which the data could be less meaningful.

Some additional rules which can be implemented with other embodimentsare shown below.

Additional Rule A: Based on a signal whether a sprayer, such as a bidet,has turned on: Reject candidate if the start time of the candidate iswithin a specified amount of time of a sprayer turning on. A sprayeradds volume to the flush water which can be falsely identified as anexcreta event.

Additional Rule B: Based on data regarding start time of candidates:Reject the candidate if the start time is within hey specified amount oftime of the previous candidate. One item to consider in conjunction withthis rule is combining multiple Expedia candidates into one candidate.This may result in the loss of information.

Additional rule C: Based on the signal from a floor scale: Reject thecandidate if the start time or end time occurs when the floor scaleweight is below a specified threshold. Based on the design of the scale,it is possible to falsely reject excreta events if the user does not puttheir weight on the scale during the event.

One preferred embodiment, a test of event selection against 59 referencedatasets with potential excreta candidate, 78 excreta events weredetected and 6 of those were false positives. 7 recorded excreta eventswere not detected (false negatives). Such errors deserve close study tosee if there are ways to improve excreta candidate classification. Inone embodiment, sub-optimal toilet performance or data logging problemshave contributed to creation of some of the errors.

As mentioned above, any time period from when the flow crosses topositive and when the flow crosses to negative is recognized as acandidate. The volume delta for the candidate must cross a threshold inorder for a candidate to be recognized as an event. How the volume deltais determined has a big effect on the number of false positive events.With one preferred embodiment, if the volume delta is taken to be thedifference in volume between the candidate start time and the negativeflow crossing, then more false positives events are logged becausetemporary increases in volume are not accounted for. Such behavior maybe due to the toilet shifting as a user shifts while sitting on theseat. For one potential example, see FIG. 15 in which the volume in thebowl is recorded as rising and then falling. In the figure, both graphshave time (sec) along the x-axis and share the same range. The top graphhas volume (mL) along the y-axis and the lines show data fromButterworth Lowpass 2 and 1. The bottom graph has flow rate (mL/sec)along the y-axis, a line representing the flow rate from the data, andarrows pointing to consecutive candidate start times. In the example inFIG. 15, the excreta event candidate starting around 116 sec would beeliminated based on use of a minimum volume threshold. In one preferredembodiment and with true excreta events, the volume rises during theexcreta event and then stays high. In this preferred embodiment, thecandidate shown starting around 101 sec in FIG. 15 is therefore not atrue excreta event. However, it would be categorized as an event if thevolume threshold were set at 15 mL and the volume delta was determinedto be the difference in volume between the candidate start time and thenegative flow crossing.

The approach described above does not catch all false positives due totemporary increases in volume readings, especially those of longduration. Additional work with filters will likely improveclassification accuracy.

In one preferred embodiment, there is a bidet and all event candidatesthat start after the bidet turns on are rejected. Additionally, this canbe modified slightly so all event candidates that don't finish beforethe bidet is turned on are also rejected. FIG. 16 illustrates anapplication of this rule. Line 1605 signifies when the bidet turned on.Some, if not all, of the change in the volume data following the bidetbeing turned on can be attributed to the flush water collecting waterfrom the bidet. Therefore, Excreta candidate 1607 is rejected based onthe bidet having turned on prior to the formation of the candidate.Without the application of the bidet rule, this volume increase would beinterpreted as a urination event. See Rule 4 above.

In one preferred embodiment, the volume of excreta added to the bowlthat can be measured is limited. With one bowl design, the limit isbetween 450 to 500 mL. Near the upper limit, volume measurements areless reliable for a few reasons. First, as material is added, the liquidlevel rises. When the liquid level in the bowl reaches the overflowpoint of the P-trap, a meniscus can build. When the meniscus breaks andliquid flows into the sewer system, the liquid level drops by a smallamount. This can all be observed in the volume data. When liquid reachesthe overflow point and fluid flows into the sewer, subsequent volumemeasurements are less reliable. Second, when a proximity sensor ispositioned below the top surface of the flush water and used to measurethe flush water volume, the response can be less sensitive near theoverflow point. Third, large, loose defecation might introduce turbiditythat makes its way up the fill tube and interferes with some sensors,such as a proximity sensor. Such turbidity with a proximity sensor mayincrease the error associated with the volume readings. One set ofalternative designs have a limit of approximately 1000 mL.

For the reasons above, in one preferred embodiment, a rule exists thatspecifies that event candidates are rejected if they start after aparticular volume threshold is reached; see Rule 6 above. FIG. 17illustrates an example application of this rule. Both graphs have time(sec) along the x-axis and share the same range. The top graph hasvolume (mL) along the y-axis, has a horizontal line at 400 mLrepresenting the volume threshold, and a vertical line at approximately97 sec that depicts when the volume threshold was substantially crossed.Event candidates that begin before 97 sec are not rejected by this rule;arrows point to these candidates. Excreta candidates that begin after 97sec are rejected. In this case the threshold of 400 mL is determined bysubtracting the upper calibration limit (450 mL) minus 50 mL.

In one preferred embodiment, defecation can usually be distinguishedfrom urination by the behavior of the liquid in the bowl. Defecationflow rates are almost always much higher than urination flow rates andthe duration of a defecation event is usually much shorter than theduration of a urination event. The high flow rate and short duration ofdefecation often results in a high-amplitude resonant oscillation in thebowl as detected by the flush water sensor. The characteristics of thisoscillation are likely influenced by the geometry of the bowl. In onepreferred embodiment, the period of the oscillation is about 2 sec. Thisoscillation is apparent in the data from the flush water sensor. In oneembodiment, urination does not produce this resonant oscillation. FIG.13 is an illustration of the differences in bowl liquid behavior withurination and defecation with urination being below approximately 170 mLand defecation being above approximately 170 mL. In one preferredembodiment, the oscillations interfere with the ability to visualize thedefecation flow profile and to measure the maximum defecation flow rate.

The high flow rates and oscillation associated with defecation in oneembodiment of the invention become quite visible in a moving variancewindow plot of bowl volume. The top plot in FIG. 18 shows an example ofa volume trace for an excreta event in which defecation and urinationoccurred. Both graphs have an x-axis of time (sec) and share the samerange. The top graph has a y-axis of volume (mL) and a line depictingvolume change. The line has been classified with urination event 1801and defecation events 1802. The bottom plot has a y-axis of variance(mL{circumflex over ( )}2) and shows that moving window variance isdramatically different between urination and defecation. When thevariance rises above the threshold indicated by the line atapproximately 700 mL{circumflex over ( )}2, information about thecrossing is added to a ‘defecation candidate’ table. The ‘defecationcandidate’ table is compared to the ‘excreta event’ table. When thestart of a defecation candidate falls within an excreta event, the eventis flagged in the ‘excreta event’ table as a defecation event.

Other embodiments of the invention have used other methods fordefecation detection, but this embodiment classifies excreta events themore accurately. Through the application of this method against thereference data sets, it accurately classified 71 of 72 known excretaevents as either defecation or urination—the one misclassification wasfor an event that was reported to be defecation, but a separateassessment of the data determined the event to be urination. Additionaltesting may determine that there is another, more preferred defecationdetection method. For example, the results of the described method maynot be as preferred when the set of reference data includes data setsfrom a broader array of toilet users.

In one preferred embodiment, data from an excreta event can be used todetermine and/or report numerous metrics, including voided volume,maximum flow rate, average flow rate, flow time, voiding time, time tomaximum flow, and number of intermittent void events.

In one preferred embodiment, when urination and defecation happen in thesame session and at the same time, the volume contribution of urine isnot separated from the volume contribution of feces. Various other dataprocessing and/or additional sensors can be implemented to provide thisseparation.

This procedure will underestimate the defecation event start time by afew seconds. One way around this is to improve the volume filters.

All patents, published patent applications, and other publicationsreferred to herein are incorporated herein by reference. The inventionhas been described with reference to various specific and preferredembodiments and techniques. Nevertheless, it is understood that manyvariations and modifications may be made while remaining within thespirit and scope of the invention.

1. A system for distinguishing a type of excreta deposited in a toiletcomprising: a toilet comprising: a bowl adapted to receive multipletypes of excreta from a user; a sensor which monitors the volume ofexcreta deposited in the toilet; a processor that compares excretavolume data derived from the sensor to a database comprisingexcreta-type volume data and associates a time segment from the excretavolume data as representing an excreta-type.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the multiple types of excreta comprise urine and feces.
 3. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the distinguished excreta-type is urine. 4.The system of claim 1, wherein the distinguished excreta-type is fecesor diarrhea.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the distinguishedexcreta-type comprises a lack of urine or feces.
 6. The system of claim1, wherein data from the sensor is converted into a graphicrepresentation of the data, the graphic is input in a neural networktrained to distinguish an excreta-type within graphics, and the neuralnetwork outputs an association between an excreta-type and a portion ofthe graphic.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the neural networkoutputs a second association for a second portion of the graphic.
 8. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the excreta-type volume data comprises amaximum flow rate associated with urine.
 9. The system of claim 1,wherein the excreta-type volume data comprises a minimum flow rateassociated with feces.
 10. The system of claim 1, further comprisingflush water into which excreta is received after being received by thebowl, and wherein the sensor detects the volume of the flush water tomonitor the volume of excreta deposited in the toilet.
 11. The system ofclaim 1, wherein oscillations in the excreta volume data are associatedwith an excreta-type of feces.
 12. A method for distinguishing a type ofexcreta deposited in a toilet comprising: providing a toilet comprising:a bowl adapted to receive excreta from a user; and a sensor whichmonitors the volume of excreta deposited into the bowl; monitoring thevolume of excreta deposited into the bowl; using data from themonitoring to determine the rate of excreta deposit into the toilet;associating rates of excreta deposit with excreta event types; and usingthose associated rates to distinguish the type or types of excretadeposited in the toilet.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the urinespecific data is the total volume of urine deposited in the toiletduring the excreta event.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the urinespecific data is the urine flow rate during the excreta event.
 15. Themethod of claim 12, wherein an increased rate of change is associatedwith feces being deposited in the toilet.
 16. The method of claim 12,wherein a deposit of feces in the toilet is associated with increasedturbulence in the data from the water sensor.
 17. The method of claim12, wherein the water sensor is a proximity sensor that detects the topsurface of the flush water.
 18. The method of claim 12, wherein thewater sensor is a pressure sensor that detects the pressure of the flushwater.
 19. A method for distinguishing a type of excreta deposited in atoilet comprising: providing a toilet comprising: a bowl adapted toreceive excreta from a user; and a sensor which monitors the volume ofexcreta deposited into the bowl; monitoring the volume of excretadeposited into the bowl; using data from the monitoring to create animage which representation of the data; inputting the image into aneural network trained to recognize excreta events in an image;receiving an excreta-type from the neural network for at least a portionof the image; associating that portion of the image with theexcreta-type.
 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising receiving asecond excreta-type from the neural network for a second portion of thegraphic and associating the second portion of the graphic with thesecond excreta-type.